We all need someone
by sporting09
Summary: Lydia travels to Narnia to warn their Kings of a powerful army tearing their way through the rest of the realm. In times of war and deceit, will Lydia be able to find love in one of the Kings of old? Edmund/OC
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Chronicles of Narnia ; )

1

I had been riding for hours, and was fading quickly. The sun was steadily dropping below the tree line, casting a warm glow through the leaves. It would be dark soon, and I desperately needed rest. Adair, my stallion, and I came across a small clearing. We decided this was a good place to set up camp for the night. I fed him the last apple out of the saddle bag, and set out to find good kindling for the fire. By now the sun had set fully, and stars were beginning to take their place in the night sky. I started prodding the fire, as though coaxing it to grow larger as a defense against the bitter air of that autumn always brings.

Suddenly, I heard a twig snap from somewhere behind me. I turned slowly, coming face to face with what could only be a centaur. He was huge, standing around seven feet tall. His long sword was unsheathed, glinting in the pale moonlight.

"What business do you have in Narnia, girl?" His voice was hard and deep. I gulped trying to make words form in my head.

"I have come to speak with your king." It came out without any stumbles. There was a growl behind me, and I heard Adair neigh loudly. It was a wolf. The yellow eyes glowed menacingly. I rushed over to my horse trying to calm him, stroking his nose lovingly, whispering nonsense to relax his nervousness.

The centaur moved nearer to me and poked me in the back with the butt of his weapon. "Come on girl, we haven't got all night." I grabbed Adair's reins and led him next to me. The wolf fell into step on my other side.

We made good time to the castle, only an hour, albeit a long one. It was filled with snarls and being prodded in the back to keep moving. This angered me, I was going to have a sore back for the next few days. I was going to tell them this, but decided against it, for fear it'd only end in more pokes.

Once we reached the castle's courtyard, Adair was taken from me and led to the stables by a goat legged man. The creatures here never ceased to amaze me. Again, I felt the annoying butt of the sword against my back.

"This way girl," the centaur said.

"I have a name you know." He ignored my comment.

I was led down a beautiful hallway, and into a huge room with domed ceilings. The room was filled with such elaborateness, it didn't compare to anything I had ever seen before. The walls were a bright white, and lined with ceiling to floor windows. Chandeliers decorated the carved dome top, sending magical bits of light scattering in every direction. There was a dais just in front of the far wall. Upon it sat five thrones, three of which were occupied. That was odd, at home there was only one. Kayne hadn't even been so kind to request a throne for mother, and yet there are five here.

The throne in the middle was occupied by a young blonde man. I knew he must be the king I had come to speak with because of the regal air around him, and the dazzling golden crown, inlaid with rubies that sat on his head. Next to him sat a beautiful woman that appeared to be the same age. Her hair fell cascaded down her shoulder, contrasting brightly with the violet of her gown. Her face was set in a hard line, except for when she would steal loving glances at the sleeping baby resting in her arms.

To the far left was another young man, younger than the other two, perhaps my age. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen, with his dark hair, and the pale skin dusted with freckles. His eyes were dark, they were mysterious and serene. He too wore a silver crown, nestled into his disheveled tresses. I couldn't help but keep my gaze on him longer than would be considered proper. It didn't last long enough for anyone to notice, due to the booming voice of the centaur behind me.

"My lords, we found this one in the woods when we were out on patrol, says she need to speak with you. She was armed, but not very well. I personally think she is up to something." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Thank you, Miroslan," the blonde said, waving him and his wolf companion away. The king then turned his attentions to me, as though he was assessing me. I suddenly became very aware of my torn dress, and the shrubbery that was in my black hair.

"Who are you?" His voice was very regal, and the question was fired as though from a cannon.

"I could ask the same of you." He may be a king, but I wasn't going to let him push me around. His face seemed to lighten at this, almost like he had gained a new respect for me.

"I apologize, let me formally introduce myself. I am High King Peter, the Magnificent of Narnia. And this," he said motioning to the woman at his side," is my wife, and the Consort queen of Narnia, Lady Elanor, and my son William." I curtsied low, remembering my manners. Peter then motioned to the mysterious one sitting to the far left. "This is my brother, King Edmund, the Just."

"I am Lydia Matum. I have traveled very far to speak to you about an army that will soon be a threat to your country, and your people." All three of them looked at me dumbstruck. "In the distant land of Calamein, an new tyrant has taken power, and he seeks to conquer all the countries in this world. He has already pushed to the western borders of Archenland. Please, I came to ask you to build up your military, to defend yourselves against this army." My voice was strained from exhaustion. King Edmund had inched closer to the edge if his throne at the mention of the military.

"Do you doubt the militaristic abilities of a stronghold such as Narnia?" His voice was deep and fluid, like water. I thought he sounded offended by what I had said.

"No, I just know that this man is powerful, and has enlisted the aid of many small countries, creating an army with twice the population of Narnia's, and I fear you simply will not have enough men to defend your lands. I do not mean to defend you, it is simple logic really." His eyes narrowed.

"We will convene with the Council tomorrow afternoon to figure this situation out. Lydia, I would like you present." Peter said. I nodded, and heard Edmund scoff. I shot him a dangerous glare.

"Thank you, my king." I curtsied once again. I wavered a little, due to my sore riding legs. Queen Elanor stood with all the grace in the world, and turned to face me.

"Edmund, be a dear, and escort Lady Lydia to her room in the East Wing." Her blue eyes never once left my green ones as she spoke.

"Of course, Elanor. Good night."

"Good night, Edmund, Lady Lydia."

I watched her and Peter leave the throne room, with his hand on the small of her back, whispering into her ear. Love had never been a part of my life. I had never avoided it, it just hadn't ever found its way into my heart. There was the time when Kyne tried to force me to marry one of his men, but that hardly counted as love. I remember when I was a little girl, and all the other girls would talk about how someday they would marry a prince, and live happily ever after. I never did, instead I spent my days writing and reading the complicated texts my father told me to read. Edmund came up behind me and cleared his throat to make his presence known, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"You know, it is impolite to stare." He said.

"Excuse me? I don't think that was staring, thank you." I rolled my eyes at him. I had known this king for less than an hour, and rolling my eyes was already a common occurrence.

"Then what would you call what you were just doing?" I could sense the annoyance in his tone.

"Are you sure you are annoyed you because I was staring after your brother, or could it be the fact that I insulted your army?" I asked, my stubbornness coming out. I wasn't about to let him act this way to me, when I hadn't done anything.

"I'm not annoyed, and I could care less if you are after an already married man, but I cannot say the same for Elanor. As for the military comments, I was not insulted because I realize you are just a woman, clearly incapable of knowing of the intricacies that go into battle strategy, and planning." His tone implied that he was serious. I stormed right up to his face.

"How dare you! You don't know me, or the things I have seen. You couldn't even begin to comprehend the things I know!" I raised my hand to strike him across the face, but he caught it with a firm grip I couldn't break away from.

"Careful now, hitting a king will land you in prison," he whispered into my ear. Only now did I realize how much taller he was than me. The top of my head barely reached his chin. I ripped my hand from his grasp.

"Rather that than being around you any longer!" I pushed past him, and out of the room.

"Sleep well, Lady Lydia!" he called after me. I could almost hear the smirk in his words. Rolling my eyes, I stormed down the hall.

**As a new author I am looking for some critics to help me get me get better! Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

There was a comfortable darkness all around me, everything was quiet. Then there was light. It was flooding the dark behind my closed lids. Little by little my senses came back to me. First it was sound, I could hear the rustling of fabric. Then came the feeling, all the aches and pains from riding forever finally came back to bite me.

"Milady, It is time to wake up." The soft tinkling voice slowly danced its way into my head. I willed my eyes to open.

There was a creature standing above me. She was very beautiful, as most things in Narnia are. Her pale lavender skin glistened in the sunlight, and she smelled like the most fragrant flower garden in the world. She nudged my arm again, hoping this time I would stir.

"Milady, I have your dress ready. And your breakfast is on the table." In the most ungraceful manner, I rolled out of the warm bed. The purple creature, which I later found out was a dryad, pushed me behind the elaborate screen in the corner

. She pulled my white shift over my head, leaving me in just my underthings, and completely exposed to the cold autumn air that seeped through the stone walls. Then she wrapped a corset around my waist, and started on the stays. A dress was pulled over my head. It was an elegant forest green with brown accents. The dress fit my body perfectly, hugging all my curves, and the elbow length sleeves showed off my slender arms beautifully. I tugged on a pair of brown slippers and a simple necklace to complete the outfit. I felt like a princess, a feeling I hadn't had in a long time.

The skirts flew out as I twirled to the table where my breakfast lay waiting. My mouth began to water at the sight of fresh, warm food. There was lots of fresh fruit, and two croissants, still steaming. The flaky bread melted in my mouth. I had never tasted anything so good in my life. Growing up as a peasant, I had to go off of what ever grain and flour provisions hadn't been taken to the king, and those weren't ever this good.

I ate till my hunger was sated, then set out into the labyrinth of halls. No one had told me to be anywhere this morning, so I decided to use the time to explore the palace of the wonderful Cair Paravel. I passed several creatures in the halls varying from talking animals, to the silvery naiads of the Shuddering Wood. It's hard to believe that such a marvelous place could really exist. Everything here feels like a dream, and one that I never want to wake from. I feared that the dream wouldn't last long much longer, especially if Kyne kept advancing.

After a while, I decided to go out and explore the grounds. The interior was stunning, but then again, so was the exterior. I strolled by at least three flower gardens, all more extravagant than the last. Off in the distance there was the metallic sound of clanging. I followed the noise until I was standing at the edge of the training grounds. Everywhere there were soldiers engaging in practice spars. Weapons of all sorts were flying through the crisp air.

One sword flew up, shining in the morning sun, catching my attention before raining down on it's opponent. My eyes trailed back to see none other than King Edmund wielding the sword. He caught my gaze before I had a chance to turn away. Green met his clear pools of chocolate. For some reason, I couldn't look away. It was like he had placed me under a spell. He called respite, and stalked toward where I stood by the fence.

"First Pete, now me." It wasn't a question, just a very cocky statement.

"I wasn't staring." I said sheepishly. He smirked.

"What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be practicing your needle point or something?" He sheathed his sword, never braking eye contact. I scoffed playfully.

"I'll have you know that I spend my time doing more important things than needle point." I said, jumping up and down in attempt to regain my lost body heat. The sun may have been up, but the late October air canceled most of it warmth. Edmund must have noticed, because his hands were at his neck untying the cloak that rested on his shoulders, as he rolled his eyes. He swung the blue velvet around mine, and retied it loosely around my neck.

"Like what?" he asked. I got lost in his eyes again.

"I...I..writing." What was wrong with me? I had never stumbled so terribly before. A slightly rusty smell hit my nose,pulling me out of my reverie, and I immediately searched for the source of the all too familiar odor. I found what I was looking for on Edmund's shoulder.

"You're bleeding." I grabbed his arm for closer inspection, and he winced just slightly.

"Miroslan must've gotten a good shot in." he laughed humorlessly.

"Let me clean that up for you." Concern filled my eyes. He shook his head.

"I'll be alright."

"Please? I don't want it getting infected, especially before the tournament at the end of the week."I said, giving him a decent reason to come with me.

Finally he shook his head in agreement, leading me to the armory, since I had no idea where it was. He walked behind me, placing a hand on the small of my back, just like King Peter had done to Eleanor the night before. I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest due to this one simple touch. Luckily, he seemed oblivious to my reaction.

I found a bench in the armory, and motioned for him to sit. A bowl of clean water sitting on a nearby table.

"So what do you write?" He asked, trying to end the silence that had fallen between us.

"A little of everything. I write what I feel, things I shouldn't say aloud, dreams I had, how I see the world...," I answered with my head in a cupboard, searching for a clean cloths to use. In the very back, I found a small stack, and took the one on top.

"I want to read some of your works sometime." I laughed, becoming self-conscious at the thought of Edmund reading what I wrote. He seemed genuinely interested though.

The water dripped from the cloth as I wrung it out. I frowned.

"Tunic off," I ordered softly.

He just sat there with an odd expression on his strong features.

"Edmund, I cannot properly clean the wound with your shirt in the way," I chastised.

He sighed, and pulled the navy tunic over his head. "It's _King_ Edmund."

My eyes went wide, seeing the taut muscles of his chest and stomach, covered by his perfectly pale skin. I wondered what it would be like to run my hands all over his smooth skin, and feel the muscle ripple underneath. There was a line of dark hair trailing from his belly button all the way down into his trousers... I blinked my eyes rapidly in attempt to clear my mind of these strange thoughts. The smell of his blood helped bring me back to the task at hand.

"Are you alright? You looked a little dizzy. Its not the blood is it?" His dark eyes filled with something that almost looked like concern.

"Yes, yes I'm fine, and no, I've seen enough blood to not be squeamish." I pressed the cloth against his bloody shoulder. I felt him tense the slightest bit. When I pulled away the now red cloth, I examined the cut closer. "It's deeper than I thought. I would advise not practicing for a day or two, so this has time to come together before you have to fight in the tournament." He reluctantly nodded.

"Where did you hear about the tournament?"

"I overheard some of the castle's staff talking about the preparations. They said they were looking forward to the duel between their two kings. One faun said his money was on Narnia's first sword." Edmund flashed a crooked smile.I couldn't help but wish that was always on his face. It looked so natural, unlike the scowls I'd seen him wear before.

After that, we settled into a comfortable quiet, while I started wrapping his wound in fresh linens. "So, who taught you all of this?" He asked quietly, as to not disturb the peace that had blanketed the room.

"My mother. She was a healer back in my village. I grew up in an impoverished town where sickness and fights broke out all the time, so there was never a shortage of people to practice on." My words faltered a little at the mention of Calamein, and my mother. My heart still ached after all these months for her- the real her. Edmund didn't notice.

"She taught you well, you are quite the nurse, Lydia." I smiled bashfully.

"Thank you."

"Will you be my nurse for the tournament? You do much better than the faun I usually get." He smirked, this time it reached his eyes.

"Only if you will fight for me," I said teasingly, nudging his good arm gently.

"Only if you accompany me to the Champion's ball." I broke out into a wide smile, thinking he was joking as well, but his face told me he wasn't. My smile fell.

"Of course." I was very dumbfounded. "But only if you win," I added, thinking with all the knights coming to fight he surely wouldn't come in first place. I had come up with a way to avoid a ball, which included dancing... in public.

That mischievous glint returned to his dark eyes, making them shine. "It's a deal." He stood, grabbed his shirt that was still on the bench, and walked out of the armory without a glance back.

* * *

><p>The rest of my morning was very uneventful after my time with Edmund. For the most part, it was spent meandering through the gardens that were beginning to wilt with the fast approaching winter months. I sat on a bench, making sure to spread Edmund's cloak under me to avoid direct contact with the chilled stone. Thoughts flitted through my mind at light speed. Most of them were about my past, the one I so desperately wanted to escape. It was getting worse. Now Kyne was in my thoughts during the day, he was no longer just invading my dreams, making them nightmares.<p>

His vicious eyes glaring down at me, standing in a puddle of my own father's blood. That's the sight filling my mind. Then he is there, with my mother sitting next to him, as he runs his bony fingers across her cheek. She does nothing, just sits there. Though I have been away for weeks, I have missed my mother for months. Since she married Kyne to save my life, she had not been the same woman she once was when my father was here. The scene changed again. This time we are at a feast in one of Kyne's men's honor. As a gift, he offers me to the man, as a wife. All I can remember is seeing the slimy smile on that man's disgusting face before leaving.

There was an unexpected tap on my shoulder, I jumped and screamed, thinking it was Kyne come back for me. Instead, it was a startled centaur. His face is an impassive mask, showing no emotion.

"My lady, the Council is gathering. High King Peter has requested your presence." His voice only slightly gave away hints of pity, and confusion. No doubt the kings would hear about this. I rolled my eyes, that's the last thing I want. I escaped from Calamein, I don't need some concerned diplomats prodding through my emotional imbalances.

I followed him for quite some time, before we made it to two elaborate mahogany doors. The centaur opened one slightly and told me to go in.

The room was dark, the only light emitted from the candles lit all around the room, there were no traces of sunlight anywhere. Peter and Edmund were situated at the head of a long, rectangular table. All manner of creatures surrounded the rest of the table, crouched over maps and scrolls littering the space. Edmund was in a deep conversation with Peter and the man sitting to his immediate left. I took a few steps forward in attempt to make my presence more known. Peter looked to where I stood, and his face softened the tiniest bit.

"Lydia, please come sit." He pointed to the high backed chair, just to his right.

Once I was seated, the room fell silent. All the men's eyes traveled until they reached my head, where they all seemed to stop. Their hard gazes bore into me, and I felt like crawling under the table to avoid their stares.

"Lydia, I called you here this afternoon so you could help us to help you with this instability in Calamein," Peter said in a very regal voice, befitting of a high king.

"My king, I believe you misunderstood what it is I told you last night. This is not about me, it is about you. I came to warn you of Kyne's impending armies. I think it is too late to save Calamein. Kyne has fought all the way into Archenland, and Aslan loves King Lune, but I fear he will not be able to hold off these attacks indefinitely. There is a very real possibility Kyne's army will be at your doorstep in a matter of weeks." I sounded exasperated.

The men around the room had mixed faces of confusion and pity for me. Surely they thought me a silly little girl. A graying, rotund man spoke, breaking the silence.

"My lady, this opposition has not proven to be an immediate threat to Narnia, therefore there is nothing we can do at this time, except, perhaps My lords would be able to send your family some money to help get back on your feet..."

"My family is dead!" I interrupted the old dignitary sitting across from me. "I'm telling you what needs to be done, so your families don't face the same fate. Please do something," the last part came out in a whisper, and I was fighting back tears.

The men at the table merely looked at me, startled by my pleading outburst.

"By the time you see them as an official threat to your way of life, it will be too late." My voice was desperate.

I heard Edmund clear his throat, taking the intense stares away from me. I was very grateful, as the tears I had vainly been trying to keep in had started pouring out.

"Perhaps this meeting would be better continued at a later time?" he sounded very official for a man of no more than eighteen. All the mischief was gone from his voice.

He stood, and was by my side in a few long strides. I understood that he was trying to get me out of that room as quickly as possible, and easily complied. We walked out into a vacant hallway.

One look up at Edmund's concerned face sent me into a stronger bout of sobs. I felt so lost, like all the good things in the world were gone. He wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling me into a strong embrace. I don't know quite how long we stayed like that, for all I know it could have been hours.

Finally, I gathered myself enough to look up at him. His eyes were closed and he looked at peace. There was a darkened spot on his tunic where my face had been moments before.

"I'm sorry for ruining your shirt," I breathed.

"Are you alright?" he asked, ignoring what I had said.

Of course I wasn't alright. Kyne had royally screwed with my mind, and emotions in ways I wasn't sure I'd be able to come back from completely.

"Yes, thank you," I lied, drying the remnants of tears on my face. Edmund looked down on me with disbelief, but dropped the subject.

* * *

><p>Wow, I got on to check my e-mail, and there were like 4 new reviews for this story, every single one was awesome too! Its things like that that make me want to keep writing. Thanks so much for reviewing, Please, Please keep it up. I love hearing from people, even if it is just to reassure me people are out there haha! I hope you enjoyed this chapter I'm working on the next one, so the wait shouldn't be too long.<br>Gracias, Thanks, Merci ~ Sporting9


	3. Chapter 3

Hello Readers! I am so sorry it has been like a month since I have uploaded, but school was getting crazy with finals and everything.  
>Thanks to everyone who reviews, please keep it up. It is the greatest motivation to continue when you find more reviews waiting for you.<br>*I do not own Chronicles of Narnia.

3

Edmund left me to return to his never ending duties of being king, and I returned to the castle, so I could erase all the signs of distress from my face. Walking back through the labyrinth of halls I had been through mere hours before, there was the sound of cooing. It was pleasant and soft. The sound stirred such emotions in me as to encourage me to find the source of the cooing.

It was the sound of baby William playing in his mother's arms. Queen Eleanor sat in a velvet lined armchair in a bright and sunny sitting room. I popped my head in briefly with every intention of continuing on back to my chambers, but I was caught by the queen.

"Lydia, do come in," Eleanor said. I entered the room slowly, feeling like an intruder even though I'd just been invited in. Eleanor smiled warmly.

"I'm glad you are here. William has been preventing me from finishing my needlepoint all afternoon. Would you like to hold him for a while?" she asked hopefully.

"My lady, I really don't think that is a good idea..."

"Nonsense! Here you go," she said while placing her son into my open arms. I couldn't help but smile at the happy child in my arms. Eleanor bent over to retrieve her needlepoint from a basket laying next to her chair.

"Do you have children of your own, Lydia?" I was surprised by her question, but then upon thinking about it, if I hadn't run away, I would probably be married and with child right now, as was Calameinian tradition to have a family young.

"No, my lady," I finally answered, rearranging the baby in my arms.

"Please, call me Eleanor. I am of the mind that titles should only be used among friends at public events, and we happen to be speaking privately." I smiled at her. Her personality reminded me in a way of my mother's, before Kyne came into our lives.

"And as for not having children, you still have plenty of time. You are very young, almost the same age as Edmund," she continued on. Eleanor became invested in the needlepoint on her lap, and it became quiet aside from the cooings of little William on my lap. I decided this was not a good thing, because it left my brain with no distractions to detract from what happened earlier.

"What are you working on?" I asked trying to create distractions for my mind.

"My token for Peter to wear in the tournament this weekend." I nodded, only hearing half of what she said.

"Lydia, dear, whats the matter?" Eleanor's maternal side was coming forward.

"It's nothing. Things just didn't go well today in the council meeting. I urged them to fight, and they all disregarded me almost completely."

"Things will work out in the end, they always do. Keep working at Edmund, he seems to have taken a quick liking to you. Usually it takes weeks for him to be as open with anyone as he has been with you since the moment you stepped foot in the throne room last night." I felt my cheeks turn a mild pink at her insinuations.

"I only want to keep everyone safe," I said, turning the conversation away from Edmund. Eleanor gave a dainty sigh.

"Peter and Edmund will do everything in their power to keep the Narnians safe, even if it means a fight. Though, I do not relish the idea of them going off to war," her voice became very solemn.

There was the pitter-patter of slippered feet just outside the door. A small girl a few years younger than myself came into the sitting room the queen and I occupied. "What is this I hear of war?" she asked Queen Eleanor.

"Lucy, where are your manners, you have yet to introduce yourself to Lydia," she chastised in a motherly tone. The girl turned to me, dipping into a curtsy.

"Hello Lydia, I am Queen Lucy. It is a pleasure to meet you." I nodded my head in return.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, My queen. I suppose I should have realized there would be more than one queen in this place," I explained.

Lucy giggled, "You should meet my sister, Queen Susan, but she is away in Telmar visiting the prince for the season." She had taken to playing with William, who still sat in my arms. "Now, what is this I overheard about war?"

" You have nothing to worry about right now Lucy. There is a war going on in Archenland, and there has been discussion to take precautions against these people, but it is just that: talk. No one is going anywhere," Eleanor said placating the young queen's worries.

"But even if there is a threat, you know Edmund will be chomping at the bit to go and scout," she sounded defeated. An image of Edmund riding off to go scout an entire army's movements sent unpleasant shivers up my spine.

* * *

><p>The next two days I spent a lot of time with Eleanor, watching her work on her needlepoint. It made me wish I had the ability to make such beautiful things with my hands, but all they could do was heal, and write. Eleanor told me a great deal of her childhood. She grew up in a small kingdom just north of Narnia. She said she was raised as a perfect gentlewoman the way her mother expected her to be, but that she and her older brother used to sneak out of the palace and race horses. It's one of her favorite things to do. She told me that she met Peter in her first season out in society at a ball. He tripped her, and she purposely requested a dance with him so she could incessantly step on his toes the whole song, and from then on, they had been deeply in love with one another.<p>

I had told her to go out for a ride with the king today, and that I would watch over her son, which is how I ended up where I am now. William curled up warmly against my chest in the cool autumn air. I had been inside with him all morning, and I could tell we were both getting antsy. Outside, we passed many of the same sights I saw my very first day here. Although, now everything was covered in bright colored streamers and pennants for the tournament that was going to start later in the day. The real reason I had brought us outside was to find Edmund's tent, with so many around, I'm glad I did. There's no way I would have been able to find it when all the people were running about.

I pulled the flap of the tent to the side. To my surprise, Edmund was already inside polishing his sword. He turned, a grin gracing his soft face.

"Lydia, how are you this fine morning?" I couldn't help but smile at his tone.

"I am well. You seem to be in a good mood," I noted. He set his sword down carefully, before coming to stand in front of me.

"Yes, that would be because in exactly two days, you will accompany me to the champion's ball."

"Don't forget, you have to win the entire tournament for that to happen." I was still in disbelief that he could win the whole thing, sure he would make it far, but could he win it all? He breathed a laugh.

"I don't think that will be a problem." Edmund's hand traveled down to caress the side of his nephew's face. "You are very good with him," he said turning back to face me again.

"He is such a sweet child, that helps." He nodded in agreement. "Sometimes I think I might want a child of my own," I confessed with a blush.

"I don't think I can help you there, but right now, I need you, as my nurse." With that being said, my eyes started to assess the space around us. I spotted several things that needed to be done. Fifteen minutes later, Eleanor came and took William back inside the castle.

An hour or two passed and the ruckus of the tournament about to begin was in full swing. Metal was clanking all around the tent. Edmund had left and returned with his helmet in hand. I busied myself in a corner labeling the bandages for future use. When I turned around, an bare chested Edmund was facing me.

"I was hoping you could look at my arm one more time before I went out," he explained sheepishly. My cool hands grasped his toned arm lightly. Peeling the bandages away revealed a cut coming together cleanly. I nodded my head in approval, as I re-wrapped it in fresh linens.

"If it doesn't bother you, it should be fine to fight with." He looked strangely relieved to hear those words come out of my mouth. I picked his shirt up off the bench, and threw it at him telling him to put it back on. From there, I left him to put his armor on.

When I returned to the tent with a fresh pitcher of cool water, I saw Edmund in the corner struggling to buckle the strap under his arm. I eyed him with humor, as he endlessly attempted to secure the leather strap.

"I've almost got it.." he said with a struggle. I merely shook my head, leaning up against one if the wooden posts in the tent. Before either of us knew it, I was next to him removing his hands, and securing the strap with my own. I was close enough I could feel his warm breath on my cold ears. I pulled back and was met with his eyes, they seemed to be glowing a deep chocolate. Neither of us felt the need to say anything, I could feel his thanks radiating off him in the form of warmth. I felt comfortable, like being so close to Edmund was where I belonged.

A faun popped his head into the tent informing the king he would be in the next fight, promptly putting space between the two of us as we both stepped away from one another. The silence that had once been perfectly sound became tense. Edmund grabbed his sword to sheath it at his side. I walked up to him with a plain piece of ribbon in my hand. "I was hoping you would wear this," I reached out to tie it around his upper arm.

"To honor our bargain and fight for me."

"It would be my pleasure to fight for you, lady Lydia." He took my hand and brought it to his lips. His tone made me assume he was playing around, but something in those eyes told me there may have been some truth in his words, and that scared me more than anything. I couldn't bear the thought of him fighting all my adversaries, putting his life on the line for me.

Moments later, the same faun had returned taking Edmund with him. I mumbled good luck to him, but I know it never reached his ears. Soon he returned without a scratch on his body. I supplied him with water to drink before he went back out to fight again. This happened all the way through the preliminary fights. I was beginning to get bored and once, actually went over to help another man with a deep cut above his eye.

The next morning wasn't much more eventful, the only thing I had to do was make sure the great warrior king stayed hydrated. While he was out fighting, I was in the tent dreading the ball that I now knew was inevitable. The afternoon was a little better, the finals were coming up and Edmund would be continuing on, along with High King Peter. He had come back in for one last sip of water, and had tried to coax me into a good luck kiss, to which I firmly replied would be waiting for him at the Champion's ball, looking mockingly dejected, he left for his final fight of the day.

Outside the tent, it got quiet as though the entirety of Narnia had gone mute. I rushed out to see what must have been the most looked forward to fight of the games. In the middle of the arena, Edmund and another knight were tip-toeing around each other looking for an easy spot to strike. It was an eternity before the other man finally made the first move. Edmund blocked the hit, the clang of the swords made me jump. My king returned just as many strikes as were thrown at him. He had managed to wound the other man's leg, sending the opponent into a fit of fury. It wasn't long before he had Ed on the ground shrinking away. I heard the nauseating sound of flesh being split open, and my breath caught in my throat. Edmund's armor was slowly turning the same shade of crimson as the Narnian flag, but the fight was not over. With a pained expression on his face he grappled to his feet, storming over to the other man, still celebrating his good shot, and hit his temple with the hilt of his sword, sufficiently knocking the man out. Edmund raised his sword high to address his people, but his mouth seemed to go dry and he was doubled over in pain. I rushed over to his side, tears collecting in the corners of my eyes. I helped him to stand up right again by slinging an arm over my shoulder.

* * *

><p>I laid him down on the makeshift table in the tent, pushing all its contents to the ground in one fellow sweep. I called for help, knowing ten digits wouldn't be enough to get this job done before he lost consciousness from lack of blood. Three more nurses and two court physicians came running in. Hands were pulling away at his armor at a lightning pace. The metal and cloth came away, putting all the focus on the giant wound ripping across his torso, just above his navel.<p>

My hands reached out and firmly pressed against the cut, to stem some of the bleeding, not bothering to find a towel or anything to aid me. Edmund's face was contorted in pain, yet he remained still. I felt someone else pull me away from him. Two more people came forward with a needle and thread. His eyes went as round as a doe's when he saw the offending tools.

"Why can't we use Lucy's cordial?"

"It will heal this wound too quickly, and will cause more problems down the road," a physician replied matter-of-factly.

I rushed to Edmund's side, knowing that while I had done stitches several times before, I did not want to be accountable for causing him that much pain. His face indicated the they had begun to thread the skin back together. The look crossing his face was pained to say the least, yet he was so quiet and so still. I was sure he kept so still because he didn't want to appear weak in front of so many people. I admired his strength, and chastised him in my head for being so stoic all at once. After some amount of time, I saw all the tension leave his muscles, and his eyes closed as he welcomed the darkness that shrouded his head. Relief washed through me and I knelt from my place at his side to gently kiss his forehead.


	4. Chapter 4

The reason I updated so quickly was because I found a review that made me laugh (and because I had the time)!

*Thanks to all my reviewers! I have however noticed that none of my reviews have been constructive. I would rather stick to my own ideas, but I am always looking for things that could have been better. Nobody famous you know got to where they are by being told they were perfect ; )

* I do not own Chronicles of Narnia

* * *

><p>4<p>

I woke up to a hand running itself softly through my hair. Rubbing my green eyes, I saw Edmund looking down at me from where he lay in his bed. After his wound was stitched, he fell into a deep coma like sleep for the next three days. Out of worry, I hadn't wandered too far from him.

Outside the window, the afternoon sun shone brightly. I had been reading at his bedside, and must've dozed off. I looked up at his shining, tired eyes. He smiled weakly, obviously still in pain.

"Thank you, Lydia." His voice was coarse from lack of use over the last couple of days. I shushed him, telling him there was no need to thank me, that I hadn't really done anything. He tried to sit up, and gasped at the sharp pain in his abdomen.

"I don't think you are quite ready for that yet." A sympathetic smile slid over my features, helping him back into his previous position.

"I suppose I missed the Champion's Ball?" I breathed a laugh.

"We found it exceedingly difficult to throw a ball for a champion without him actually in attendance, so no, you haven't missed a thing."

He grabbed my hand with a feathery grip, and took it so it rested on his warm chest, right above his heart. We stayed this way for a while, in the peace and quiet. Nothing needed to be said between the two of us. My thoughts were, for the most part, still. One thing that did present itself to me was how close I had become to one of the kings of Narnia in almost no time at all. A part of me was completely terrified by this, but a larger part was completely at ease with it. Being with Edmund just felt so natural, I could tell he felt the same way too.

Our quiet time didn't last as long as I would have liked it to, but that much was to be expected. Word that Edmund had awoken reached the ears of the High King. Peter pushed through both of the bedroom doors, making a rather dramatic entrance.

"Ed! So good to see you are back with the living," He said in a boisterous tone. I saw his eyes linger on where my hand rested in Edmund's on his chest. My cheeks began to burn, and I discreetly pulled my hand back to rest in my lap.

"It feels good to be back."

"We found the assassin," Peter said taking on a much more serious persona. Edmund's ears perked up in question.

"He won't tell us anything other than that he is looking for his little Calameinian bride, and that you were in the way." Once again Peter's eyes came to rest on me. My ears grew hot, and the reminder of their conversation was lost.

"What do the people know of all of this?" Edmund inquired.

"They are under the impression that you are fine, have merely been annoyed, and have refused to make any public appearances. They do not know the extent of you injuries, or the severity of the crime that took place at the tournament. " I explained. I had told those lies to protect his ego, and to keep him out of the spotlight while he was all, he was still my patient.

Peter nodded, as to confirm what I had said. "Well, I will leave you now. Rest up, we need your diplomacy up and running soon."

"My lord, is it alright if I speak to you privately?" I bowed my head low while speaking. Peter motioned for me to follow him through the heavy doors. My shadow followed his out into the hallway.

"You said the culprit was from Calamein?" He nodded. "Could I maybe see him? There is a chance I may be able to give you more information than he is willing to give."

I saw Peter's eyes glow in contemplation. "You may, but for your own well being, please let me escort you." He sounded like the big brother I had never had.

"Thank you my king."

* * *

><p>It was dark and dank in the stairwell leading to the dungeons. It almost shocked me that a place so beautiful as Cair Paravel could have a place so horrid deep within its depths. I pulled my cloak closer around my neck as we descended. Peter led me to a cell at the end of the narrow hallway.<p>

Once we were there, he stepped to the side allowing me a better look at the man who had tried to kill the king. It was then that I heard the familiar, hungry laugh.

"There she is. My beautiful Lydia!" His voice disgusted me.

"Adrian, I always knew you would end up in a cell, behind bars," I said venomously. Peter stood in the corner watching the encounter silently, until just then.

"You do know him?" There was confusion in his eyes.

"Of course she knows me, we were engaged after all." Adrian's scraggly beard shook as laughter overtook his frame.

"Only in your eyes were we ever together," I spat.

"Mine, and Kyne's. You know he is very upset that you left home, he told me to tell you he will get you back by any means necessary." My blood ran cold at that statement, but I made sure it did not show, not here. Peter intervened here.

"Lydia, what is he talking about?" Adrian let a demented chortle through his lips.

"You mean you haven't told them? Allow me the honors then. Kyne is Lydia's father." Peter was astounded, I saw fury in his eyes, though I couln't tell if it was directed at me, or at Adrian.

"_Step_father, and if you will remember, he forced my mother to marry him, holding me under _your_ knife point, if I'm not mistaken," I spat. For some reason I felt like I had to say that in order to placate Peter's new found distrust in me.

"We both know he doesn't love me... or my mother for that matter. Why would he worry about me being here? Unless he is afraid that I, a mere girl, will be detrimental to his battle plans. In which case, I pity him. I pity all of you." Adrian just shook his head.

"Kyne is prepared to take what is rightfully his including Narnia... and you. None of us are afraid to kill anyone that gets in the way. Let what happened to your prince be a warning of what is to come." His yellow eyes bore right into my own in a stare down. I broke my gaze first, telling Peter that I was done here.

"Let him rot in his own filth."

* * *

><p>I returned to Edmund's room hours later to find him asleep. His face was so peaceful, like nothing bad could ever exist in the world. I took up residence in my usual chair at his bedside.<p>

What had Adrian meant by_ 'Kyne is prepared to whatever it takes to get me back'_ ? Obviously, the man didn't care for me, so what would posses him to go to such lengths  
>just to have me back within his grasp?<p>

I gave a heavy sigh.

Not only did I have to worry about the external threats from my homeland, but now I had one king that knew my secrets that I had tried so hard to keep, and I knew there was no way I could keep the other from finding out. What would happen then, would Edmund look at me the same way? He had to be told this news, but I couldn't bring myself to be the bearer of bad news. I couldn't break his heart like that. Then, an new thought plagued my mind.

Would it be better to hear it from me, or from the High King?

I wasn't sure. 


	5. Chapter 5

Here is one more chapter for 2011. I hope everyone enjoys and leaves_ good and constructive_ reviews! I am always interested in what you have to say.

*I do not own Chronicles of Narnia. ( but you already knew that)

5

There was a light at the end of the hallway. It was faint, but something compelled me toward it. As I neared it, I could hear voices. They were harsh, and cold. Hiding in the shadows, I saw Kyne and Edmund.  
>Kyne held a dagger in his right hand; it was pointed right under Ed's proud chin, barely breaking the skin. The glint in Kyne's eyes made me want to scream. I had seen it many times before, namely right before I saw my father fall before my feet.<br>I ran forward to shield Edmund from all harm, willing to offer myself in his stead, but as I screamed no one heard me, or turned to me. It was almost as if I wasn't there at all.  
>He stabbed Edmund, killing him the way he had done to so many before. Sobs racked my silent body as my mother, small and sickly, was pushed into the murder's arms where he proceeded to kiss her roughly and push her to the ground. I continued to scream as he used the same dagger to end my mother right then and there. Now he was stalking towards where my invisible form crouched. He eyed me as I materialized before his eyes, the dagger used to kill my love and my mother, still dripping with their blood, raised to end me in the same way.<p>

The last thing I saw was the flash of his gold eyes before forcing myself awake.

* * *

><p>I woke in the same chair I had fallen asleep in a dozen times in the past week. Looking up, I noticed the bed that should have been inhabited by my patient was now empty. The sheets were rumpled and warm.<p>

Edmund was standing out on the balcony, looking out into the endless sea that surrounded Cair Paravel. His bandaged midsection became iridescent in the milky moonlight. I came to stand behind him. Unsure, I wrapped my arms under his shoulders to his chest, laying my head on his bare shoulder. I felt him tense, then relax. One of his hands came to rest on mine.

"You should be asleep," he stated.

"You should be in bed," I gently retorted. He let a heavy, burdened sigh leave his lips.

"There is too much to think about." A look of question crossed my face. He turned to face me, bringing me to his chest.

"Lydia, I think we have to go to war,"he said solemnly. I shook my head. "You saw how easily one of his assassins got into Narnia. We have to do something."

I had nothing to say, was there anything to say? I agreed with him wholeheartedly, no matter how much I wish I didn't. He didn't say anything else either. Instead, he took me back to his bed, where we fell asleep in each others arms.

* * *

><p>The next morning, I woke up alone. Edmund was nowhere to be found.<p>

The dryad that had helped me my first day was twitting around the room picking was hard to keep a blush off my face, being found asleep in the king's bed. I asked where he had gone, and was told he had gone back to work and would be in meetings of state for the most of the day. He really frustrated me sometimes. Was he so stupid as to not follow my orders and stay in his bed for a full week?

I flung the sheets away from my body and donned the nearest dressing robe and went out into the hallways with the intent of giving Edmund a good scolding. King or not, he was still under my control for the time being.

As I ran down the halls, I came across Queen Eleanor. "Lydia?" she asked perplexed.

"Eleanor, have you seen Edmund this morning?" She nodded daintily, her light curls bobbing around her chest.

"He has asked specifically to not be disturbed in his study this morning," she paused. "I think the attack has hardened him. He feels a duty to his people to end the feuding between us and Calamein."

"Yes, I think you are correct, but he is nowhere near healed completely, and the state can wait a few days." Eleanor could sense how annoyed I was, it showed in her eyes.

"Lydia, whatever you plan on saying to him, tread carefully." She turned to leave not saying another word.

I found his study on the opposite end of the castle. The carved doors were rather intimidating upon first sight if the onlooker did not have a sense of the kind of man that sat behind them. Without knocking, I pushed my way into the space.

He didn't even look up from the large stack of parchment in front of him. "What do you need?" The words were clipped, as if I were nothing more than a serving girl.

"I have come to inquire as to the reason for you being out of bed when it is quite clear that you are no where near full recovery." To my surprise, the words flowed from me in a very diplomatic manner, that rivaled that of any king's.

"There are far too many things to be taken care of to waste more time lying in a bed." I rolled my eyes at him. He must've been here for quite some time. His hair and clothes were completely mussed as if he had just thrown something on in the dark. Which come to think about it, he probably had. He stole off to the study as soon as I fell asleep again.

"How do you plan on defending Narnia, when it still pains you to move your arms in certain positions? Surely one cannot swing a sword with such a problem." This time it was him who rolled his eyes at me, his jaw clenched as well.

"Since you cannot seem to see this for yourself, I am not on the training grounds, nor do I plan on going there anytime soon. So don't worry your pretty little head about me." I let an frustrated sigh leave my lips.

"Was it not you who wanted me to look after you in your times of illness and injury? And now you turn back on that in your time of need? Edmund sometimes I do take you as an imbecile!" All of his muscles grew taut, and I knew he was trying his hardest to contain his anger at my words.

There was a part of me that was proud of myself I made him this way. Perhaps now he would reconsider his current state of being and return to bed. No, that was too much to ask of this Edmund. This new hard Edmund, one who's soul intent is to make his country safe again. One who could care less about how well his own person is, when those of his people are in danger.

Just as I turned to leave the study, High King Peter came rushing through the doors.

"I was hoping I would find you here. Adrian has been talking again. He has been asking for you. I don't particularly want you anywhere near him. The way he talks is so feral..."

"Who is Adrian?" Edmund interrupeted. Peter and I exchanged sidelong glances.

"Adrian is the man who tried to kill you. He knew Lydia back when they lived in Calamein," he said.

"Why was I not told this sooner?"

"I had planned on telling you, but when I came in, you were asleep," I explained, inching toward his freckled face with my hand. It was promptly swatted away by Edmund's own.

"That's not good enough! This man tried to kill me, and I wasn't told who he was." I felt the tears that were trying to form in the corners of my eyes, and rapidly blinked them back.

There was something else biting at my brain. Edmund needed to know my relation to Kyne. He deserved that much after being left in the dark about so many things in his absence from the state

"Edmund, there is something I need to tell you," I took a deep breath. "Kyne is my stepfather. He killed my father, married my mother, and I am his daughter now by law." I attempted to keep my voice even and strong, but I know it came out as nothing above a strained whisper.

He said nothing for a long time, almost like he was contemplating what he would say. His body was strained, obviously with anger, yet he remained still and silent.

"Please leave us," was all he finally said.

I bowed my head low, and left the room, making room for a page that slipped past me. I allowed my feet to take me where ever it was they saw fit. I had no preference. The only thing I cared about was not letting any tears fall. I had no reason, I knew I was innocent and had done nothing wrong. Nothing except for the fact that I unknowingly brought an assassin into the walls of Narnia.

* * *

><p>My feet took me outside, past the training grounds and past the tree line surrounding the eastern gardens. Just far enough into the woods that I could no longer see the palace, I heard it. I heard a voice of a man. It immediately put me at peace. But everywhere I turned, I could find no source of it.<p>

"Why do you cry, daughter of Eve?" It asked.

"All the trust I built here, all the love I had gained was just destroyed."

"No. It only seems that way right now. You cannot see as much of any picture as I can. I know that your love has not been destroyed, it has multiplied."

"Edmund was so angry. He will never forgive me for who I am." I said, with new tears streaming down my reddened face.

"He already has, even if he doesn't see it yet." This voice was confusing me terribly. I did not know what to think of what it had said.

"You were brought to Narnia to be a savior, daughter of Eve. You were brought here by me to save not only the Narnians, but also their king. He needs you, just as you need him. In time you will make sense of that, as will he."

"How can I save Edmund?" I ask.

"You already know the answer to the question."

"Who are you?"

"I am known by many different names. But here I am known as Aslan." I nodded.

"Thank you, Aslan." A strong wind passed through the trees, signalling Aslan was gone. I touched my face to find it was dry of all tears that had recently streamed down it.

By the time Aslan had left me, it was growing dark in above. As I walked back to the palace, a calm washed over my entire being. I crawled into my own bed for the first time in a week.

I fell into a deep sleep that night, with a smile on my face.


	6. Chapter 6

Hello readers! I am sorry it has taken so long for me to update. School started up again, and life has resumed it's normal crazy busy-ness. I realize this chapter is a bit shorter than most, but I plan on writing another within the week... so keep an eye out!  
>*I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia<p>

6

I avoided Edmund after our argument in his study, and the night I heard from Aslan. Keeping away from him was rather difficult seeing as how it is his court I was in, and he had every right to demand my presence. He had a few times, I made up excuses so I would not be put into a situation where I knew my emotions would betray me.

He had invited me to dine with him, or go riding on brisk mornings, but I could not face him. He had plans to leave me to go fight a crafty tyrant who had ruined a part of my life already. I wanted absolutely nothing to do with it, any of it. I loved Edmund, and it scared me. I would do everything in my power to save him. Then I am reminded of who I am, and that no matter what I say, he will do what he thinks is right.

I only wish he knew how it hurt my heart. It hurts in his presence, and in his absence.

The lilies in the pond are frosted with ice floating on the water's surface. My reflection seems clear, unlike my head. I am unsure what to feel these days, therefore I appear void to all who see me. Eleanor made me visit the infirmary to make sure I was okay. I know I am okay... physically anyway. I cannot figure out what Aslan meant when he spoke to me, and Kyne visits me in my dreams more and more often. It is always the same dream I had the night I saw Adrian. No matter what I do, I can't rid myself of it.

* * *

><p>Three days later, Eleanor came to me asking if I would take care of William while she went for a ride. She did it in an attempt to brighten my dampened spirits. The thought of having the sweet little boy in my arms did lift my heart a bit. I grabbed the sleeping baby out of the nurse's arms to gently place him back into his crib where he could peacefully finish out his nap.<p>

His face was so innocent as he slept. His blonde hair tickled my hand as I ran it through his baby soft locks.

I felt a strong hand grab my waist causing me to jump. I turned quickly, catching sight of that pale face framed by dark hair that I had grown to love over the months. His lips were turned into a cautious, sad smile. He was worried he would scare me off.

"How are you?" He finally asked.

"Alright." I stared at the floor, unable to face him. I was almost angry that he could be so forgiving, seeking me out after what I had told him. He used his fingers to tilt my chin up to face him.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, you know." I nodded.

"I am though. I had no right to keep such a thing from you for so long, or at all for that matter." He stared deeply into my eyes.

"Lydia, you should know, everything has been finalized. We are going to war against Calamein. Troops move out at first light." I should have been sad, but for too long all I had felt was nothing, and now all I felt was anger. Anger at him, and towards Kyne, and at everyone. Did no one realize that I needed Edmund? That he cannot just leave me and go to fight in battles from which he may not return? I knew it was selfish, but nothing within me changed.

"If you wish to be foolish, then leave." He looked confused.

"I don't understand. I came to say good bye...,"

"And you just did, so leave." I was growing apprehensive.

"Lydia, what is wrong with you?" I could hear the hurt in his tone.

"I'm demanding that you leave me be, can't you see that?" I all but yelled, pushing at his chest.

"You don't have the right to demand_ anything_ from me. I am the_ king_!" His volume outmatched mine, waking the sleeping William.

He dropped my hands, turned to walk out, and slammed the door behind him, sending both William and I into a fit of racking sobs.

The next morning, I was called by some maid to the southern courtyard to see off the great kings and their generals.

I groggily dressed myself, and dragged myself out into the still dark courtyard. Eleanor was out there with Queen Lucy, who had twin streaks of silver running down her cheeks. I stopped just behind them, trying to shield myself from any unnecessary goodbyes.

Unfortunately, my plan did not work as well as I had planned for it to. Peter came around for one more bittersweet kiss with Eleanor, who gripped on tightly to her husband's armor. He then came to me, pulling me into a brotherly hug.

"Take care of them for me," he whispered in my ear. I nodded, just enough for him to feel my response. I didn't trust my voice to not betray me.

I pulled my cloak closer around my ears to ward off the biting air of the November morning. Edmund made his rounds next, and I was his last. He did not say anything to me, and I did not say anything to him. Instead, he grabbed my arms and kissed my forehead forcefully. It was as if he was making sure I was real. His lips on my skin felt like an all consuming fire, and I wanted more. The contact didn't last long enough for me, before he stepped away from me to his noble horse.

Just as they said, right as the sun began to rise, the men were already fading into the horizon.

* * *

><p>I didn't cry anymore after that day. I think its because I did not have anymore tears to shed. I focused instead on bettering the the country in the kings' absence. Eleanor, Lucy and I tag-teamed things to keep the nation in order. Lucy and Eleanor handled stately and foreign affairs, while I spent time working with the Narnians.<p>

I had been traveling around to different towns and villages close to Cair Paravel to help citizens in need of medical treatment or any other thing they may have needed from the Crown. It definitely kept me busy, and kept my mind off of Edmund marching into war.

"It's love," said the elderly woman whose arm I was currently wrapping in linens.

"What?" I said coming out of my daze.

"I can see it in your eyes. You love a man. Perhaps it is a young soldier off fighting?" she pried.

"I suppose you could say that." I answered.

"Well, don't worry. He will return home to you, and the two of you will live happily ever after." She had a distant longing look in her eyes, as though she was talking about a fairytale she never had the chance to live.

"How do you know?" "Just trust me." She winked at me.

"Such a pretty young lady like you, how could he not come to sweep you off your feet?" I turned my gaze downcast.

"Because he is a king," I said meekly. She slapped her hands onto her knees.

"All the more reason for him to sweep you off your feet!" The gray woman cupped my cheek with her hand in a grandmotherly fashion. "King Edmund would be a fool to not take advantage of the love laying right in front of his nose."

I merely smiled. This woman was so full of joy over a situation that she knew nothing about. She did not know that I had kept detrimental secrets from the king, committing treason by doing so, and not having said a kind word to the man in over four weeks. I made no move to correct her false joy, because false as it may have been, it gave me hope that maybe things would work out between me and my love.

* * *

><p>Please review, I would like to hear what you have to say about Lydia's "emotional imbalances". :)<p>

I have also decided to start a little game.. I will ask a question about myself, and if you answer correctly, you will get an excerpt from the next chapter before anyone else!

My Question:

What is my favorite sport to watch?


	7. Chapter 7

**Yes, readers, I understand I have some major explaining to do as to why the heck I fell off the face of the planet for the better part of a month: My hard drive in my computer crashed sometime in mid Jan. and the new one was accidentally delivered to my neighbors a few days after that, but they decided to hold onto it for a week without bringing it to me. Then I started writing a new story, that has been taking up some of my time... So I apologize. Thank you for being understanding. **

***I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia**

* * *

><p><em>Eleanor,<em>

_We have just arrived at the battle front. The sight is an astounding one that I sincerely hope you never have to see. These Archenland men are wounded and starved. Before we even had a chance to take inventory of the supplies (namely weapons) we began distributing out the rations of food our battalions brought. It is only now, three days later that the color is returning to their cheeks. I pray to Aslan that we are not here for very long. Please give our son a kiss for me. I love you both with all my heart._

_ ~Peter_

Peter,

_I am glad to hear that you are safe wherever it is that you are these days. I cannot help but shed a tear for all that those men have been through, and I too can only pray that this war is fought in a matter of weeks, not a matter of months. I miss you. It is dreadfully lonely without you next to me. Please come home soon. I love you more than everything in this world, and the next. Please stay safe, and look after your brother for Lydia. She needs him._

_~Ellie_

Lydia,

_I am safe, and with any luck will be home before Christmas. One can only hope. We have been here two weeks and have yet to see any sign of Kyne's men. I know they are out here. I wish they would hurry up and fight. I miss you, and wish you well. Take care of the girls._

_ ~King Edmund_

_Ellie, _

_We still haven't had any true conflicts with the enemy. If it weren't for the random archers in the woods, I would wonder if there actually was anyone to fight beyond those hills. I am sorry, but I do not think we will be home in time for Christmas this year. My goal is to be on my way back to you just after the start of the new year, Let's just hope things go according to plan. I love you my darling._

_ ~Pete_

Ed,

_The girls are fine. I have made sure to keep myself busy in your absence. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you, or any of your men. I know this is a hard time for all of you, especially with the first snowfall on its way. Merry Christmas._

_ ~Lydia _

Queens of Narnia,

_While my kings would try to seem strong, and unaffected out on this front, that is not the case. We are losing more men to hunger, hypothermia, illness, and infected wounds than we are to actual fighting. There has been talk that the opposition will cut off our supply routes. Please find a way to send blankets, food, bandages and fresh water to the fronts. _

_Signed, General Miroslan, Narnian Royal Army_

_General Miroslan,_

_I received your letter and have been gathering supplies as quickly as possible. I hope to have them there by the end of next week. Please tell me you can hold out that long. I have also decided with the restricted powers placed upon me in the Kings' absence that it would be optimal if I led a band of nurses along with the supplies. I am sure no one would object to ten or twelve new sets of hands. You can expect us to come through the western routes, which as of the most recent scout report was still clear of the enemy's men. It would be optimal if you could have a group of around eight soldiers to escort us into the encampment to avoid the confusion that may come with the discreet caravan we will be traveling with. Thank you for your cooperation, I hope to see you soon._

_~Lydia Matum_

_Peter, _

_Please come home soon, I miss you and Edmund so much. I would write to him as well, if I thought he would respond. Watch over him, and yourself. I love you both very much._

_~ Lu_

_Lucy, _

_We are fine and love you with all our hearts. Hope to see you soon._

_~ Pete and Ed_

_Lydia Matum,_

_By decree of His Majesty, King Edmund the Just, you are not permitted to travel here alone or with any other personnel. The King also stated that you are not to leave the borders of the city Cair Paravel until he, or the war party return home. He does not wish you to think poorly of him due to this decree, instead he would like to take the opportunity to realize that you are far more beneficial to the Narnian council alive than you are dead._

_General Miroslan, Narnian Royal Army_

Lydia,

_Don't think I don't want you here. I know you could help us immensely, but I have my reasons for ruling the way I did, please don't be mad with me. _

_~Ed_

_Lydia,_

_It has been a week since my last correspondence, and I haven't heard from you personally in over three weeks. I wish I was at home with you, we could sit and read by the fire in the library, and sip on warm ale. The very thought brings fresh blood and warmth to my cheeks. Happy New Year._

_~Ed_

_Lydia, _

_Please write to me. I am beginning to worry about you. Before too long, I will make Eleanor fill me in with what's going on with you._

_~Edmund_

_Lydia,_

_Today, we engaged in the first battle of this horrendous war. We came out victorious, but we lost a good many men. Kyne's generals are strong, and strong willed. Hopefully with a few more victories, we will be home before the beginning of spring._

_~Ed_

_Lydia, _

_Today we fought in our last battle. We are going to pack up, and as promised, will be home before the start of spring._

_~ King Edmund  
><em>


	8. Chapter 8

**So I tr****ied something new with the point of view... let me know what you think!**

***I do not own Chronicles of Narnia.**

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><p>8<p>

It had been seven days since he had last seen his Lydia's face and it was beginning to affect his mood. The rest of his company had taken note of this and made sure to give the brooding king plenty of space. He felt anger at himself for allowing Lydia to be so distant from him the few weeks before he had told her he was going off to fight. The look on her face was one he would never forget, it tore him apart inside. He was beginning to think he would live with that memory for the rest of his life.

The men rode in silence through the desolate forests of Archenland. There had been very few signs of life anywhere as they traveled to the fronts. Nothing prepared them for what they saw when they got there, six days after leaving home. All around was the stench of death and illness.

Before the kings ever saw the men fighting, they exchanged a glance that quite clearly said: "There is no way in hell this is going to go well".

Peter poked his horse lightly in the belly, telling him to advance. Edmund and the rest of the men followed close behind. They made it to the camp half an hour later, and were finally able to assess the tragedy that had befallen those men. All of them were emaciated, nothing more than skin and bones. Many walked the uneven, muddy grounds with the assistance of a crutch due to injuries.

No one spoke for a very long period of time, not the Narnians and not the Archenlanders. Instead they engaged themselves in a massive stare down. Edmund could not help but notice a sparkle in their tired eyes. There was a glint of hope, hope that they may be able to win this war. Amongst the crowds of men, there was a young boy. He could not have been any older than Lucy, back in Cair Paravel. His head was heavily bandaged, and his arm was placed in a makeshift sling. For some reason, Edmund felt close to this boy. It was as if the single glimmer in his eye embodied the perseverance and strong- willingness of the entire army. The corners of the king's mouth turned up slightly as he dismounted his horse, and yelled out his first command of the war.

"Bring forth the food! These men need a good meal." It was all he said. He turned towards the general's tent. As he walked away, the entire encampment filled with cheers of joy.

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><p>Later that night, after several critical meetings with the allied generals, King Edmund entered the personal tent he was sharing with Peter for the duration of the war. He made a bee line for one of the small cots in the corner of the makeshift room. He flopped down with a heavy sigh, and threw his shirt into the opposite corner. His arms reached high above his head, as he stretched the day's tensions away.<p>

It was only when he sat back up, did he notice his older brother sitting at the uneven desk with a quill in hand.

"Already writing to Eleanor?" Peter turned from his parchment to look at his frazzled brother.

"I miss her terribly… and William. Who would have thought I'd be so soft as to miss the little baby at home who will one day have no recollection of this ever taking place?" He breathed a humorless laugh at himself.

"You're not soft, you're just a father." Edmund sent a reassuring smile.

Peter clapped a hand over his shoulder.

"Thank you, Ed." He nodded in response. "How are you doing? I know leaving her behind was not an easy thing for you to do." It was the unspoken truth that they were talking about Lydia. Edmund didn't know why Peter hadn't said her name, but he was oddly grateful.

"I can't stand being away from her. It kills me. I know we weren't on the best of terms when we left, but I cannot get her out of my head." He grabbed fistfuls of his curls to emphasize his statement. It was Peter's turn to nod in sympathy.

"I think this means only one thing. You, my brother, are in love," he said in a thoughtful tone.

"I want to see her again."

"I know how you feel. "

"At least when we get home, you know Eleanor will have been waiting for you since the moment you left," he said somberly.

"What makes you think even for a second that Lydia isn't waiting for you?"

"What makes you think she will wait for me?" he countered.

"Because she loves you."

With that being said, Peter blew out the candles in the tent, welcoming in the night and a restful sleep for both young kings.

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><p>He felt something cold fall onto his bare chest, uncovered by the embroidered quilt tossed around his slender form. Arms came up to throw a pillow over his head, as if it would make the cold go away. He felt it again, this time, on the corner of his chin peeping out from under his pillow. His hand tried to rub the cold away, when the realization hit him that it was not just cold, it was also wet.<p>

Edmund pulled the pillow off of his eyes. Above him, the cloth of the tent was an almost black red, heavy with water that had been dripping on him. There was only one word floating through his head at this. _Rain_, followed closely by _cold_, and _muddy_.

With a heavy sigh, he pushed himself into a sitting position. If his men had to endure the cold and the rain, there was no reason he shouldn't suffer right alongside them, after all, he was known throughout the lands for being fair.

He went to retrieve his shirt from the corner he had blindly thrown it into the night before. It was only after he had it in his hand did he realize that it was soaked through from the storm. He rolled his eyes at his stupidity and misfortune. In his bag of personal belongings, he had brought along had a couple changes of clothes- dry clothes. He rummaged through the small bag for a dry tunic to throw on. He realized how stupid it all was. He knew that as soon as he stepped out of the tent, the new shirt would become soaked as well._ Welcome back to all the comforts of war,_ he thought sarcastically to himself.

All he could hope for now was that this war did not last long. It was already half-way fought when they had showed up anyway. In actuality, the Narnians were only called in as allied reinforcements for the Archenland soldiers. But, with them being in the condition he had found them in upon arrival, he feared they might end up being there longer than was desirable. Edmund grabbed his sheathed sword, and tied it in its usual place around his waist. He took one last deep breath, and left the little sanctuary his tent offered.

Outside, the men from both countries were already hard at work. Edmund could see men transporting supplies to keep them dry, the new group of physicians and cooks were certainly busy with the new tasks assigned to them. He saw several high ranking officers, including Peter and Miroslan, under a gazebo-type open tent. He knew that is where he should go, but the urge to check on everyone took over. Plus, it gave him a reason to put off the stressful side of being a king and commanding officer.

Under a makeshift lean-to sat the same little boy Edmund had seen the evening before in the cheering crowd. He was carving a whistle out of a piece of wood with a small dagger. The king felt compelled to go talk to him.

"What are you working on there?" he asked the boy. He batted raindrops from his sandy eyelashes, onto his sun kissed skin.

"It's a whistle. The older men said I can't do anything for them right now, so I decided to get out of their way." Edmund nodded in understanding.

"So what's a young boy like you doing out here, when you could be back at home, resting by the fire?" the king inquired.

"I'm not so young. In fact, I am eleven years old. That's a year older than you were when you fought in your first war, or so I'm told anyway." Edmund admired his young innocence and determination. He shot the boy a smirk.

"I suppose you are right. If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up out here?" Curiosity genuinely filled the king.

"My father was fighting, and I followed his men to the lines. But I was kidnapped by an evil man with yellow eyes before they got there. When the big men started to fight, the evil man gave me this," he said motioning to the dagger in his hand, "and made me go out onto the front lines. I hurt my head, and arm, but some men from my country found me, and brought me here. This place is much better than the yellow-eyed man's camp."

Edmund watched as a small shudder racked his small body.

"Well, I think you are a very brave man, after all that you have been through…" he trailed off, making sure to appeal to the little one by calling him a man.

"What's your name?" The boy asked out of the blue. Edmund chuckled a bit.

"Edmund. What's your name?"

"Ean." Edmund stuck his hand out to be shaken.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ean." 

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><p><strong>Please, please let me know what you thought. I need reviews to improve my quality of writing, and my general want to write! Thanks..<strong>

**Sporting9**


	9. Chapter 9

**Please review! And thank you for sticking with this story.**  
><strong>*I do not own Chronicles of Narnia.<strong>

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><p>9<p>

Edmund spent the rest of his morning under the leaky lean-to talking to his new friend. The little boy was surprisingly good company. Unlike the rest of the men, Ean wasn't worried near as much, nor did he feel the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders.

He shot questions out one after the other, barely giving Edmund enough time to respond. He asked what it was like to live in a palace, what his favorite thing to do was, if riding horses was hard, and everything in between. Edmund tried to answer each and every one to the best of his ability.

He leaned against the wet bark of a tree, listening to Ean ramble on about his brother, and how he had met his wife, the most beautiful and most kind girl in all the realms. The young king could not help but smile at his childish innocence.

"Do you anybody like Cara?" Ean asked, his blue eyes looking up at Edmund intently.

"Yes. Her name is Lydia. She came to my country from a faraway land, and hasn't stopped helping people or taking care of us since she arrived."

"She sounds nice. Is she pretty like Cara is?" Edmund nodded.

"She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." He realized he wasn't lying when he said it, not that he had ever thought he'd be capable of doing such a thing.

Lydia was not spectacular, but Edmund didn't want spectacular. Her beauty was much more like a sun set, quiet and unassuming at first, then a fabulous display of radiance and warmth. It was one of the many things he loved about her, and more importantly missed about her.

"Is she your wife?" Ean, being so young did not have the sense to realize that his question was completely inappropriate, especially for whom he was talking to. Edmund was completely shocked; the question had certainly gotten the cogs of his mind working.

"No. I am not married," he explained.

Ean nodded his head in understanding.

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><p>The next few weeks went by in mostly undisturbed peace. Edmund and Peter both thought it was odd that there had been no fighting up to this point, but they were also grateful. There were still issues that kept the young kings on their toes however, the biggest of which was the growing pain in every man's belly from lack of food<p>

They had already torn through the provisions the Narnians had brought with them. Most days, Edmund would make sure his men were fed before he ate, and the effects were starting to show. He was beginning to look thinner in his face. The only thing he could do was pray to Aslan that the war would end soon.

It surprised him how ingenious his opponent was. They had a huge battle with the Archenlanders right before his men arrived, and they hadn't attacked since. In truth it was a good strategy, wear your opponent down, then strike. However it was doing a number on the soldiers.

Edmund had recently come to realize that aside from wanting to go home for good meals, dry clothes and a warm bed, he wanted to go home because that was where Lydia was. She had plagued his dreams every night since they had gotten there, and he used every spare moment he had to write to her, and keep her updated.

A week ago, he had caught a glimpse of a message Miroslan was reading, and he had immediately known whose handwriting it had been. Her script was so unmistakable with it's beautiful simplicity and elegance. Why had Lydia responded to Miroslan, but not to him? He demanded the letter from his general, who reluctantly obeyed. The letter said that she was going to come to the front and bring food, water, supplies and nurses.

At first he was elated at the prospect of being able to see her, then his sense kicked in and he told Miroslan to respond saying that she was not permitted to travel for her own safety.

"Why wasn't I made aware of these plans?" Edmund asked his general.

"My lord, it was my decision, and mine alone to keep this private. I didn't tell you because I knew if you found out that it was Lydia that had responded to my distress call you would have never allowed her to come, but the truth is, we need those supplies, more men are dying because of starvation and hypothermia than they are of actual wounds and fighting, and we both know she is strong enough, she could have brought them to us," Miroslan explained.

"I understand, but I cannot allow you to put civilians in the way of harm. Like you said, we are already losing enough as it is."

Miroslan bowed before his king, "Yes, my lord."

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><p>Edmund was awoken by the sound of distant shouting. He reached for his sword, and had it unsheathed before he was out of bed. They had finally come. It was time to fight. He threw his discarded shirt on over his head as Peter was running into the tent.<p>

"They've finally come." He sounded out of breath. He motioned to Ed's armor that lay against the wall. He hurried to situate it over his torso, as Pete came to secure the buckles in various places around his shoulders.

"Let's win this war, and go home," Edmund said to his big brother. Peter smiled, and nodded.

They left the tent together to find a huge battle taking place before their eyes. Metal clanged and colors blurred around Edmund. He turned to his left to see a man charging straight towards him, sword raised high. Edmund quickly thrust his own forward, before the two went back and forth parrying for a while, before Edmund delivered the final blow to his right leg, sending him to the ground.

Man after man came, and man after man the Narnians killed. Edmund had found the generals and killed two of them, before they scattered to different parts of the encampment where the battle was taking place.

The sun was slowly beginning to peak over the horizon, and the king wondered how long they had been at this. His hair clung to his face from sweat, as he continued to swing his sword into Calameinians. There was evidence that they were winning, but the war would not be over until he found their leader and had him killed. All the ranking officers had either been killed or taken prisoner, but the soldiers kept on going. There had to be someone controlling them from somewhere away from the fight.

Edmund did not have too much time to dwell on this before the fight was over, though. As more men from both sides fell, the encampment grew much quieter. By the time the sun had risen above the tree line, the fighting had ceased altogether, and the remaining Calameinians had retreated. Edmund turned completely around from where he stood to assess the damage around him. Many men had fallen, but even more were still alive. He took a deep breath. It was over, and he could go home.

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><p>Peter rallied the troops later that day, after the consensus had been recorded.<p>

"We lost a great many comrades today. But I urge you to remember them well, for their deeds of strength and bravery. Do not let them die in vain. Today, we vanquished a great enemy that threatened our homes, our wives, and our children! Gentlemen, be proud, as I am proud of each and every one of you. We have won the war, and the right to return home to our families without the threats, without the worry. I plan to have us all home within the month!"

Peter's speech was short, but it made a company of five thousand men break out into cheers, shouts and even a few tears.

A few days later, as the men were cleaning up camp in order to leave, Edmund snuck away to write his fifth letter in a row to Lydia, and hoped this one would get a response. He was overjoyed that he would soon see her, and Eleanor, and Lucy again. He packed his few personal things away in a hurry, not wanting to waste any time to get home.

Once the tent was taken down, Ean appeared in front of the kings. He looked confused. The war had taken away his only family, and now that the army would be dispersed, he would have nowhere to go.

"Are you ready to go home, Ean?" Edmund asked. The boy nodded.

"Yes, but I have no real home anymore," he explained with a certain childish innocence. Peter smiled down at him.

"Well I am sure that we can find somewhere for you. What do you think about palaces, Ean?"

"I've never been to one, sir."

"Well, you are about to live in one." Ean's face lit up. Edmund lifted the young boy onto his horse, and mounted behind him.

They were finally going home.


	10. Chapter 10

**Woo, 2 chapters in one day, I am on a roll! Please enjoy, and don't forget to REVIEW! ('cause it makes me happy)**

***I do not own Chronicles of Narnia**

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><p>I ran from the sitting room where I had been waiting for Eleanor to finish putting William down for her nap when I heard the sound of the palace bells going off. I ran to the balcony, and what I saw almost brought tears to my eyes. The army was beginning to appear from within the trees. I had never been so happy in my life. The war was over. No one could hurt me or the ones I loved anymore.<p>

Eleanor would have to understand why I didn't wait for her. I rushed into the courtyard, and gathered my rag tag team of nurses and physicians I had put together a few weeks ago. We set up a makeshift hospital in the open space so we would be able to treat the wounded soldiers when they got home.

Within the hour, they had begun to arrive, and my hands were busy for the next four hours, at least. With each man I treated, I learned more of the horrors of what they had been through. Part of me silently thanked Edmund for not allowing me to go.

I saw Peter across the way, and released the nurse currently working on stitching a cut in his arm. I took over in her place.

"Lydia, it is so good to see you."

"You too, Peter. We all missed you very much, and thank you with all our hearts for protecting us," I said, lightly tugging on the thread in his arm. Luckily, we had local anesthesia this time provided by an old herbalist, so he didn't seem to be in pain like when Edmund had his done months ago.

"Did you take care of my family?" I smiled.

"I did. Eleanor is a very strong woman, she was amazing, and the way she ruled in your stead was fantastic. I don't know anyone that could have done it better." Peter smiled. "As for your son, he has grown a lot, and has even been trying to walk, but he hasn't taken his first steps yet. I think he was waiting for his father to get home so he wouldn't miss it."

Peter's face was full of unaltered excitement to hear about his son, and wife.

"How has Edmund been, Peter?" I asked.

"He fought and led extremely well. I don't think he would ever admit this, but he missed you a great deal." I felt a blush tickle my cheeks.

"Have you seen him since you got back?"

"Come to think of it, I haven't." I finished his stiches, giving the high king the go ahead to find his wife. The moment they saw each other, it was like nothing I had ever seen before. They tried not to make a scene, as they were royalty, and the oldest at that. Peter grabbed her waist, and spun her in the air, as she brought his lips up to meet hers in a deeply passionate kiss that could only be shared by two that were completely in love. I smiled at the lovely sight, then turned back into the palace to give the two a small bit of privacy.

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><p>Inside the palace, warm and spicy smells permeated the air. They filled me almost completely with joy, but I could not help feel slightly upset Edmund had not come to find me, and I knew for a fact that he hadn't made it out of that fight unwounded.<p>

Men and women of the court were already beginning to gather in the great hall for the coming banquet. It was to be the biggest feast since the coronation of the Kings and Queens themselves. Of course, this made sense, seeing as how Narnia had not been in a war this big, with allies and organized opponents and such since the battle with the White Witch so many years ago.

It was said that the festivities would most likely last into the latter days of this week. Children were running around, something I hadn't seen any of them do since before the war began. It was a heartwarming sight, and made me think of little William, and the young boy I had only caught a glimpse of riding with King Peter at the front of the company, as they rode into Cair Paravel.

I went into the kitchens, and got a large wooden tray, which I filled with warm crusty bread fresh from the oven, a decanter of red wine, some cheeses and meats, a bowl of clean water, and some linens. If Edmund was hurt, I was going to tend to it, whether he liked it or not.

The hallways of the upper levels of the palace were mostly deserted, aside from an occasional guard or maid. I checked Ed's room to see if he was in there, with no luck. Then I checked the library, sitting room, and state room, all with no luck.

His study was the last place I looked, and luckily he was in there. He had his back turned to me, as he stared out on his balcony over the growing festivities below. I entered slowly, not knowing what kind of mood he would be in, and he was very temperamental.

"Hello, Edmund," I said, keeping my voice even, and not screaming like I would have liked to. He turned to face me. There was a serene smile on his face as he moved nearer to me.

"Lydia," he breathed. His tone made my cheeks grow hot.

"You're hurt," I said rubbing my thumb whisperingly across a cut on his forehead. He smiled down at me.

"Same old Lydia," He stated. I laughed.

"Did you expect me to change in a matter of months?"

"No, I just thought you had come to see me, not to treat my cuts and bruises." Rationally, I knew he had not meant any harm by his words, but instead of being rational like I had been for months, I began to act irrational.

"Perhaps I wouldn't be trying to treat them now if you had come to find me earlier when I was working on all the other men. I missed you, and you obviously didn't miss me nearly as much, seeing as how you found it acceptable to…" I was cut off by Edmund gently pressing his lips against my own.

It was a sweet kiss, the sweetest I had ever had. It only ended when I needed to take a breath.

I tried to remember what my train of thought had been, but before I could, Edmund had taken the tray out of my hands, closing the remaining space between us, and had his lips on mine once again, this time far more passionately. I moaned into his lips, and felt his grin in response. My hands found their way around his neck, just as his found their way around my waist.

Edmund picked me up, and carried me to sit on his elaborate desk, without ever once breaking contact with my lips.

"I love you, Lydia," he said between breaths. My head was spinning with euphoria.

"I love you too, Edmund, more than you will ever know."

I meant every word of what I had said. Saying those words out loud, to him, sparked something deep within my body. I felt like I needed him, more than I had right now. My hands began searching for the hem of his shirt, while my lips found his once again. His large hands found mine, and helped them find what they were looking for, then helped me pull the shirt up over his head. My hands ravenously traveled all around his sculpted frame, learning every contour.

Edmund broke the kiss between us, and looked down on me lovingly.

"Marry me. Marry me, and we can do this forever. You are the only girl I have ever loved, and the only one I ever want to love. You consume my every thought, and being away from you is hell, so please, marry me."

A million thoughts filled my head at the same time, but the most dominant one was that I loved Edmund in a way that I couldn't even begin to describe. Being away from him for so long gave me time to realize all of that. Staring deep into his chocolatey eyes, I muttered one simple word, a word that both of us would cherish for the rest of our lives,

"Yes."

We didn't go to the feast that night.


End file.
